Bråk

Bråk is a Swedish noun with several related meanings centered on clash, disagreement, or disturbance. The most common senses are a physical fight between people, a quarrel or heated argument, and a loud disturbance or uproar. The intended meaning depends on context, for example “ett bråk” can denote a fight, while “ett bråk framför huset” describes a noisy disturbance, and “ett bråk om hur beslutet skulle fattas” refers to a dispute or argument.

The related verb bråka means to argue or to fight, and can also imply causing trouble or engaging in disorder. Common phrases include “stök och bråk” for noise and commotion, and “vara i bråk med någon” for being in conflict with someone. In everyday speech, bråk often conveys a sense of disorder, whereas more formal language may substitute ordningsstörning or konflikt depending on the nuance.

Etymology traces bråk to Germanic roots, with cognates in other Scandinavian languages such as Norwegian and Danish that carry similar meanings of uproar, disturbance, or clash. The word has long been part of both colloquial speech and descriptive writing, reflecting social and cultural experiences of dispute and noise.

In social and legal contexts, bråk is used to describe disturbances in public places, schools, or households. While it remains a general term for disruptive interactions, formal terminology may be employed in official reports or policing, where terms like ordningsstörning are used to denote disturbances of public order.